Pompey boss apologises to Cardiff players over fan incident

What the report says

Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho has apologised to Cardiff City after an incident involving home supporters during the clubs’ Championship match at Fratton Park. The match, which Portsmouth won 2-0, was briefly disrupted in the 72nd minute when Cardiff defender Krystian Bielik went to retrieve a ball and became involved in an altercation with a fan.

BBC Sport reported that Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy said Bielik was struck in the face, while video clips circulating online appeared to show the defender grabbing a young supporter around the upper body. The report also said some Portsmouth fans reacted as though the player had been grabbed around the throat. Later in the game, another fan threw a ball at Cardiff defender Perry Ng, and both supporters were removed from the stadium.

Mousinho said the incident was not acceptable and apologised to the Cardiff players and club, while also saying Portsmouth want to maintain a difficult atmosphere at Fratton Park without it crossing that line. Barry-Murphy described the episode as unacceptable but praised the officials for handling it well.

The incident matters because it raises familiar concerns about player safety and crowd behaviour in English football. In general, clubs and governing bodies often review such incidents to decide whether further action is needed, although BBC Sport did not report any immediate disciplinary outcome in this case.